I chose to do something different this week as I’m feeling much more creative in a fiction way rather than a lets-talk-about-life way, so I used a prompt from the good old “642 things to write about book”.
“Write for 10 minutes about what is running through a husband-to-be’s head while his wife-to-be is walking down the aisle to the alter where he stands.”
I set a timer and wrote for ten minutes, then had a cheeky edit for about half an hour and this is what happened.
Enjoy.
*
Dan’s heart was beating like a drum, he could feel it throughout his entire body, as if he was being hit repeatedly. He turned to his best man, Justin, stood next to him and whispered, “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Wide eyed, Justin stared back at him, “It’s a bit late for that now.” he chuckled, but Dan stared back at him, letting him know he was serious. “What, really?”
Dan nodded in reply as the music began to play, signifying his bride was about to walk down the aisle toward him.
It was too late.
His hands clammy, mouth dry, and his heart on the verge of either a panic attack, or a heart attack; the latter looking appealing, as leaving in an ambulance at top speed sounded all but perfect to him at this moment.
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he put his head down and concentrated on this being over. It all felt wrong, he wasn’t happy. The music seemed to be getting louder with every deep breath he took. ‘Why did I agree to this?’ he wondered to himself.
“You can do this, you’re just having cold feet, it’s normal.” Justin patted his arm, bringing Dan back to reality as his eyes opened and readjusted to the warm, natural light that poured into the church.
Looking over his shoulder, he watched her walk down the aisle in what seemed like slow motion. Her giant dress taking up a lot of the aisle, her tiara twinkling from her perfectly curled hair, and her smile shinning from her face like a lighthouse Dan’s life was about to crash into.
Her smile landing on everyone but him, as her eyes skimmed past him and took in everyone in the pews gasping at how gorgeous she looked. She did look amazing, but Dan knew the person behind the smile; she wasn’t as amazing as she looked.
“Hi.” She whispered, standing next to him, keeping her eyes forward and on anything but him.
“You can be seated.” The vicar told their family and friends and a loud shuffle of everyone sitting down signified the beginning of the ceremony.
Their words stabbing him like tiny knives, he listened to their lies in the form of their vows.
“I do.” She smiled at him.
“And do you, take Mia as your wife?”
The air seemed thick, like it was hard for him to breath and the silence seemed to last for hours.
“Babe?” She whispered. “This is where you say I do.” She tried to laugh through her anxiety, but still Dan was stuck.
He took a second to look to his left at everyone who was congregated with them today. “I…” He paused “I. I can’t.” He let go of her hand. “I’m sorry.” He stuttered turning to his best man, telling him with his eyes he needed to leave, and quickly.
Running down the aisle, family and friend’s once amazed gasps, were now gasps in horror. He ran outside and into the bright sunshine that burnt is now crying eyes. His legs carried him until he saw a bench and he collapsed on to it, his panic finally bursting from him. He pulled his lilac coloured tie away from his neck aggressively and threw it to the floor.
Justin caught up with him and took a seat beside him, taking of his own tie in unity and leaving it on the floor. He pulled the top button of his shirt open and told Dan, “Let’s go.”
Gwen Richards 